【2017 Archives】

Dang017 Archives that was fast. It's only been a little over three months since Google launched its Pixel phones and there are already rumors swirling around about the Pixel 2.

Citing a reliable source, 9to5Googlesays Google -- at least, at this early stage in development -- is testing several versions of the Pixel 2 (none of which are guaranteed to make the cut come launch time), and at least one of the prototypes, called "Pixel 2B" internally, is a cheaper, less powerful version designed for emerging markets.

According to the report, Google's got prototypes powered by some kind of Qualcomm "Snapdragon 83X" chip (possibly referring to the 835 chip or an enhanced version of it) and others powered by Intel chips.

No specs were given regarding screen size(s) or battery life, but waterproofing -- a feature that Google didn't have enough time to include in the Pixel -- is reportedly still on the table, though it's not a shoe-in.

Google's said to be prioritizing the camera once again; the company's said to be putting more work into improving low-light photography. But not by adding more megapixels, the source claims. It seems likely Google will once again apply machine learning to enhance photos, as it did with the Pixel's camera, instead of simply just improving the camera hardware (i.e. with a better image sensor and faster lens).

The premium smartphone could also come with a small price hike of $50. The Pixel currently starts at $650 for a 32GB model. Meanwhile, the cheaper "Pixel 2B" could be priced much lower; it's unclear if that would be budget pricing (like with Android One) or Nexus pricing, which would only cost about $100 to $200 less than the 32GB Pixel.

As always, it's just too early to nail down any solid info. Since Google's still reportedly testing multiple versions of the device, take everything with a healthy dose of skepticism.